Spain's largest banks are once again talking about the banking business at financial conclaves. It's not that they haven't talked about it until now, but there was an "elephant in the room" that overshadowed the media spotlight: BBVA's hostile takeover bid for Banco Sabadell. Even though senior executives in the financial sector strived to explain how the business worked, headlines in the media didn't move beyond this framework – it also helped that at these meetings no one hesitated to ask about the operation. But since the majority of Sabadell's shareholders decided not to accept BBVA's offer, that chapter is now history, and the sector's conclaves are witnessing it, as attendees at the first day of the financial forum organized annually by the Iese business school in Madrid were able to verify this Wednesday. The meeting ends tomorrow, Thursday, and will feature the main figures of Spanish banking, but also other players in the sector.

The week has been marked by infrastructure collapses in Catalonia, especially affecting commuter rail, but also freight transport, high-speed trains, and the AP-7 motorway. These problems have led to the replacement of Renfe's operations director in Catalonia. Furthermore, Simón Pedro Barceló Vadell is strengthening his executive role as the new CEO of Barceló Corporación Empresarial.